Qualcomm Corp. Offers announced on Tuesday to supply chips to automakers Volvo Group, Honda Motor Co. and Renault, accelerating its drive to partner with legacy auto companies to digitize their product lines.
Once known for its cellphone chips, the company has developed a range of automotive offerings, from self-driving car brains to chips that power digital dashboards and infotainment systems. But the chips all aim towards the same goal of helping automakers turn their vehicles into rolling computers that can be wirelessly upgraded with paid upgrades that keep automakers generating revenue long after a vehicle has left dealerships Business model developed by Tesla Inc.
In the CES 2022 show in Las Vegas, Qualcomm said it has signed an agreement with Geely Holding-backed Volvo and Polestar brands to use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Cockpit chips and an operating system from Alphabet Inc. Google in vehicles by the end of this year.
The deal will allow Volvo’s electric crossover, due to go into production this year, to use the hands-free functionality of the Google Assistant and navigation with Google Maps. The companies said future upgrades will be sent wirelessly.
Qualcomm also said Honda will use its “cockpit” chips in vehicles that hit the road in 2023.
Qualcomm also said Renault had agreed to use its automotive technology but did not provide details on what chips or when vehicles using them would arrive.
Qualcomm said Tuesday that it has developed a new computer vision chip and system that uses on-car cameras and artificial intelligence to aid safety features like automatic lane control. The new Snapdragon Ride Vision System uses software from Arriver, which is part of Qualcomms $ 4.5 billion purchase of automotive technology company Veoneer Inc. last year.
